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Chinese Researchers Test Superconducting Magnets for Fusion Reactors
Institute of Plasma Physics staff in Hefei tested a large toroidal-field magnet and central solenoid coil on June 27. The components are intended for future fusion devices that contain superheated plasma. Newsweek reported the details of the six-year development effort.
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Researchers at the Institute of Plasma Physics in Hefei, Anhui province, tested two superconducting magnet systems on June 27, Newsweek reported. The toroidal-field magnet measures 69 feet by 39 feet by 11 feet, weighs 582 metric tons and has a D-shape. Sixteen identical units would form the full torus of a reactor.
It produces a 6.5-tesla field and is designed for a 60-year service life under extreme conditions. The magnet stores three times the energy of comparable units at the ITER project in France. The second component is a high-temperature superconducting central solenoid coil rated at 60 kA.
It drives the plasma current that stabilizes the reaction. The toroidal-field magnet suspends plasma inside the reactor without wall contact. Both systems were built entirely in China. Development took six years and produced 47 patents along with 14 technical standards.
The magnets belong to the CRAFT national facility that supports future reactors. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak sustained high-temperature plasma for 1,056 seconds in 2021. Beijing invested at least $6.5 billion in commercial fusion projects between 2023 and September 2025.
The Chinese Communist Party listed fusion energy as a priority in its latest five-year plan.
